In my former life, I managed a charity. Along with the personal donations we received, we also had a lot of fundraising done on our behalf at different events from make-up parties to morning teas to formal dinners and everything in between.

We’d get a donation for $13,000 then a donation for $250 and we loved them all. Groups who donated a small amount used to say, 'Oh it’s not much' all the time, but what they didn't realise was that to a small not for profit like ours that didn't receive government funding or ongoing grants, all of these smaller donations added up quickly and became the reason we could continue our work and get so much done.

Whether your next event is big or small, I’d so love for you to think about how you can give back to charity in some way. Everything that comes with giving to charity is so positive and uplifting and the impact you can make is incredible.

If you are stuck for ideas on how to incorporate charity fundraising into your next event, take a look at the list below which you can refer to time and time again for any event or celebration!

RAFFLE

Ah the good old raffle. Unlike the meat raffle at your local pub, this raffle should feature a nice array of lust worthy prizes that people will elbow each other to buy a ticket for. The amount you charge per ticket should be in proportion to the value of the items but a good rule of thumb is about $5 for 1 ticket and 3 for $10. If you are lucky enough to raffle off a holiday, expensive electrical equipment or a car then bump those ticket prices up baby!

PORTION OF TICKET COST

Want a no fuss way to donate with absolutely no work whatsoever? Donate a portion of your ticket cost directly to the charity. Woah now that was too easy!

BAR TIP JARS

If you have a cash bar at your event then ask the venue if you can have your own tip jars on the bar. Trust me, the change people put in there can add up to some very big donations.

SILENT OR LIVE AUCTION

If you have a lot of donated prizes and want to do something a little different to a raffle, then a live or silent auction is a fun way to get some competitive donations happening. Think about who the attendees are and try and source prizes that they are going to want to pay good dollars for whether that be a 6 month supply of cleaning products or a date with a hot actor (yes we auctioned off Ambassadors in my time at the charity. And also a whipper snipper that proved to be quite popular).

ITEMS FOR SALE

If you have a bulk lot of items that are non perishable or still in date, in their original packaging and are good to go then set up a little table and sell them to guests at a discounted price. The more it relates to the attendees or the event the better like selling thongs after the races.

LOLLY BUFFET/DESSERT STATION

People love candy, cupcakes and chocolate. Sell it to them.

SPONSORSHIP

Want to do something daring at the event that you wouldn’t do any other day? Shaving your head, wearing a dress or heels if you are a dude or even trying to break some kind of world record can be a fun addition and a great way to raise money in the lead up and on the day.

DOLLAR MATCHING

Ask your workplace, the venue, the suppliers or anyone related to you, your business and the event if they will dollar match the donations made on the evening. You never know what good Samaritan will come along and say yes!

Whatever you do, good on you for doing something! Don’t forget to promote your efforts in the lead up to your event and remind people on the night how they can help. A little collective effort can go a long way to doing a lot of good.

TIP: Most charities do require you to advise them of your plans and even fill out simple paperwork before you start fundraising just to ensure that both parties are on the same page. My big tip is to contact them while you are still in the planning phase to talk about what you want to do and get approval. Most charities will be able to provide you with a Letter of Authority which means you can then go out and request donations and prizes which makes it a heck of a lot easier for you and shows businesses and participants that there’s nothing dodge going on!